Population Ecology of the Barnacle Chtliamalus Stellatus in the Northwest Mediterranean

MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Published June 5 Mar Ecol Prog Ser I Population ecology of the barnacle Chtliamalus stellatus in the northwest Mediterranean L. Benedetti-Cecchi*, S. Acunto, F. Bulleri, F. Cinelli Dipartimento di Scienze dell'uomo e delllAmbiente, via A. Volta 6,56126 Pisa, Italy ABSTRACT: This study examined patterns in the distnbution and demography of the barnacle Chthamalus steiiatus (Poli) at different spatial scales in the northwest Mediterranem. Prelirninary data indicated that the abundance and size of barnacles decreased from high-shore to low-shore habitats. The generality of these patterns was investigated at several locations (10s to 100s of km apart), at several sites within locations (100s to 1000s of m apart) and at different times. Patterns were consistent with the prelirninary observations, despite considerable spatial and temporal variabiiity at smaii and large spatial scales. The foliowing models were proposed to explain the observed patterns: (1)recruitment was intnnsicaiiy greater high on the shore, (2) limitation of recruitment due to pre-emption of the substratum was greater low than high on the shore, (3) environmental conditions reduce growth low on the shore, and (4) mortality was greater low on the shore. The predictions of these models were tested by examining patterns of recruitment, growth and mortality of barnacles and avaiiability of free space in relation to height on the shore, at several spatial scales and through time. Successful recruitment of barnacles was observed at different heights on the shore where resident organisms were removed, despite a trend toward a larger number of recruits high on the shore at 1 location (Livorno). Availabii- ity of bare rock for recruitment was greater high on the shore, implying that pre-emption of the substratum was more intense low on the shore. There was no evidence to suggest that barnacles grew faster on the high shore than on the low shore. The opposite pattern was observed for young barnacles in several cases. Mortality rates were generally greater in low-shore than high-shore habitats for young and for adult barnacles. Patterns emerged over a background of considerable spatial and temporal vanation. These results emphasized the importance of pre-emption of space and mortality of juveniles in generating patterns in the distnbution and structure of populations of barnacles on rocky shores in the northwest Mediterranean. KEY WORDS: Barnacles . Chthamalus steiiatus . Demography . Multiscaie analyses . Spatial vanation . Temporal vanation INTRODUCTION fore, investigating the magnitude, scales and causes of demographic variation is central to the development of As an ultimate goal ecology should provide explana- ecological theory. The importance of scale in the tions for the variability observed in the distribution analysis of pattern has recently received considerable and abundance of natural populations. Understanding attention (Levin 1992, Schneider 1994), and scales of causal processes initially relies on appropriate de- variation in the distribution and abundance of popula- scription of pattern. Manipulative experiments are tions have been documented both in terrestrial and then necessary to identify the mechanisms underlying aquatic systems (Carlile et al. 1989, Rossi et al. 1992, the observed patterns. Patterns in assemblages are Thrush et al. 1994, Underwood & Chapman 1996). generated by physical and biological processes influ- Barnacles are convenient organisms to address these encing the recruitment, growth and mortality of organ- issues. They are abundant and common on rocky isms at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. There- shores throughout the world (Stephenson & Stephen- son 1949), their biology and life histories are well known (Southward 1987), and they have been used as test organisms to investigate ecological models related O Inter-Research 2000 Resale of fuii article not permitted 158 Mar Ecol Prog Ser to competition and predation (Connell 1961a,b), dis- low on the shore because environmental conditions persal and recruitment (Grosberg 1982, Caffey 1985, reduce growth in comparison to high-shore habitats Gaines & Roughgarden 1985, Roughgarden et al. 1987, (perhaps due to interactions with other organisms), Raimondi 1990), and demographic models for species and (4) barnacles are smaller low on the shore because with complex life cycles (Roughgarden et al. 1985, environmental factors increase mortality so that they 1988). More recently, studies have investigated the have a smaller probability of growing to adult Stages roles of water flow, supply of food and availability of than do those occurring higher up on the shore. The free space on the dynamics and structure of popula- first model predicts that if patches of bare rock are tions of intertidal barnacles (Gaines & Roughgarden cleared at different heights on the shore (to reduce the 1985, Roughgarden et al. 1985, Bertness et al. 1991, effects of resident organisms), then recruitment wiil be Minchinton & Scheibling 1993, Sanford et al. 1994). greater in high-shore than low-shore habitats. The sec- Although some of these studies have included analyses ond model predicts that bare rock available for recruit- of scales of variability in patterns of distribution and ment wiii be greater low on the shore rather than abundance, multiscale analyses of demographic vari- higher up. The third model predicts that growth of bar- ables are uncommon (but See Bertness et al. 1991, nacles will be faster high on the shore, while the fourth Hyder et al. 1998). model predicts faster rates of mortality low on the The barnacle Chthamalus stellatus (Poli) is the most shore. Clearly, these models are not mutualiy exciusive common sessile invertebrate in midlittoral rocky shore and the observed patterns in abundance and size of assemblages of the northwest Mediterranean. These barnacles may result from any possible combination of organisms may occur at various heights on the shore the proposed explanations. but, on average, are more abundant in high-shore To discriminate among the alternative explanations, habitats (0.4 to 0.7 m above Mean Low Water Level, we examined of recruitment of barnacles in MLWL), despite considerable variation in density of experimental plots cleared at different heights on the barnacles among sites (Benedetti-Cecchi et al. 1999, shore, in different places and at different times. In Menconi et al. 1999). Previous experimental studies addition, annual growth and mortality were exarnined have shown that the recruitment of barnacles low on for 2 consecutive years at different spatial scales, rang- the shore may be limited by the availability of free ing from patches a few metres apart to locations hun- space and by interactions with macroalgae (Benedetti- dreds of kilometres apart. Cecchi et al. 1999, Benedetti-Cecchi 2000). There is also a tendency for low shore barnacles to be smailer and have a lower reproductive output than individuals MATERIALS AND METHODS higher on the shore (Benedetti-Cecchi & Acunto unpubl. data). These patterns, however, have been docu- Study system. This study was done at 4 localities in mented at a limited number of sites and are not indica- the northwest Mediterranean, 10s to 100s of km apart tive of any general regional Pattern. (Fig. 1).These localities supported similar assemblages Here, we have investigated scales of variability in of algae and invertebrates, although the relative abun- the distribution and demography of Chthamalus steila- dance of some organisms and their specific patterns of tus at a number of locations in the northwest Mediter- distnbution differ among localities (Menconi et al. ranean. C. montagui was not considered because it 1999, Benedetti-Cecchi et al. unpubl. data). Barnacles was uncommon on the shores examined, although were the most common sessile invertebrates in mid- rocky shores in the northern Part of the Ligurian Sea and high-shore habitats. The upper limit of Chtham- and the Adriatic can support dense populations of this alus stellatus was between 30 and 40 cm above the species (Pannacciulli et al. unpubl. data). First, we upper limit of the tides at our study sites. At mid tested whether the preliminary observations that bar- heights, barnacles were rnixed with macroalgae, par- nacles higher on the shore were more abundant and ticularly the fleshy red alga Rissoeila verruculosa larger than those occurring lower down were consis- (Bertolini) J. Agardh, filamentous green and red algae, tent at different spatial scales and through time. Then the encrusting brown Ralfsia verrucosa (Areschough) we tested the predictions of a number of models that ' J. Agardh and cyanobacteria (genera Calothxix and could explain the observed patterns: (1) barnacles are Rivularia). Low on the shore, encrusting coralline more abundant high on the shore because recruitment algae were common and barnacles more sparse. is intrinsically greater there than low on the shore (per- Limpets Patella aspera Roeding and P. rustica L. are haps due to physical transportation of larvae), (2) bar- the most important grazers on these shores while car- nacles are more abundant high on the shore because nivores, such as the whelk Thais haemastoma (L.) and recruitment is prevented by pre-emption of the sub- the sea Star Coscinasterias tenuispina (Lamark), were Stratum in low-shore habitats, (3) barnacles are smailer occasionally present at some localities. Benedetti-Cecchi et al.: Population ecology of barnacles 159 Patterns

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